Fisher Chapel History

After Amos and Ann Barber settled in the vicinity in 1849, the village became known as Barbers Hill. Early preaching services were held in the Barbers' home. Captain Robert S. Dingham, a seaman, began a Sunday School and preached in the area. In 1877 "Barbers Chapel" was officially organized as a Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The Barbers gave four acres for a church house and school building. In 1878 the 17 charter members erected the schoolhouse which also served for worship and as a community center. The Rev. P. E. Nicholson was the first pastor and Captain Dingham was officially licensed to preach. The original church site was traded for a second location in 1895. A 30' x 40' church house was completed in 1897. Because the Fisher family made the largest contribution toward the new structure, the church was known for a time as "Fisher's Chapel." The present-day Fisher Chapel was erected in 1932 by adding onto the existing structure.

In the mid-1980s, following a series of industrial accidents on “the Hill”, most homes and businesses in Mont Belvieu accepted buy-outs and relocated to sites further east. The congregation of First United Methodist Church (now Mont Belvieu Methodist Church) accepted one of the buy-outs and moved to its third location, this time on Eagle Drive. Even while the church was working to build a new sanctuary and education building, the congregation refused to leave Fisher Chapel behind to face the wrecking ball, so the Chapel was deconstructed board by board and reassembled on Eagle Drive where it stands proudly today as a symbol of “Old Barbers Hill”.